Today, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius decided not to allow stores to sell Plan B over the counter to kids under 17, because she wasn't convinced the FDA had conclusively proved teens could safely take it without talking to a doctor. We decided to compare it to a few other medications children can legally obtain over the counter. Below, take a look at how Plan B stacks up against some extremely common remedies.

Robitussin DM

Possible side effects: allergic reaction; impaired thinking and reactions; dizziness or headache; rash; nausea, vomiting, or stomach upset; when abused, can lead to hallucinations and paranoia, as well as possible irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, brain lesions, epilepsy, and permanent psychosisOverdose effects: at least one death has been reported as a result of Robitussin overdose, but psychological ill effects, like the feeling of being trapped in a "time loop," may be more commonOver-the-counter? Yes

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Just to be clear, we don't advocate requiring prescriptions for Advil, or keeping Tylenol under lock and key. The information above is merely evidence that the United States trusts consumers to educate themselves and take reasonable precautions with over-the-counter medications. The FDA's study indicated that young girls were eminently capable of doing this with Plan B — but apparently Sebelius still doesn't trust them to do so.